Patrick
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Most Difficult Les Mis Songs (Valjean or not)I would like to know what everything thinks are the most vocally difficult songs in Les Mis, particularly Jean Valjean's.
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The Very Angry Woman
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the well scene
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Ghost
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Valjean's soliloquy ("What have I done").
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Patrick
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Does anyone know what the rangy-est songs are?
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The Very Angry Woman
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| Patrick wrote: | | Does anyone know what the rangy-est songs are? |
No, no one knows.
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Patrick
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| The Very Angry Woman wrote: | | Patrick wrote: | | Does anyone know what the rangy-est songs are? |
No, no one knows. |
Well, thanks, but I think someone has a score or just knows.
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music is my life!!!
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i think at the end of the day is really tricky because it's so fast - esp for Fantine - so many words to fit into so little time! 
Cosette's part in "In my life/heart full of love" is pretty rangy - over 2 octaves in the school edition!
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Monsieur D'Arque
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One Day More is hard if you sing every character's part.
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curlyhairedsoprano91
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| Monsieur D'Arque wrote: | | One Day More is hard if you sing every character's part. |
HA!
And yes, in response to music is my life, Cosette's part is over 2 octaves, from the Bb3 in the middle of "In My Life" to my baby, the high C6 at the end of the AHFOL reprise. LOVE IT.
Javert has a 2-octave range as well, from an F2 ("you'll wear a different chaaAIN") to an F4 (the extremely full-throated "reprieved" in Javert's Suicide).
Fantine's a 2-octave, from the low D3 ("you will be with God," in the Finale) to a full-on belted E5 ("you let your foreman send me away"). Tough part to sing.
I'm guessing Valjean's a 2-octave as well, 'cause he does have his high Bs scattered around. I'm not sure of his lowest note, though.
Otherwise ... Marius is all pretty much high-baritone/low-tenor (nothing particularly high or low ... his parts aren't easy, vocally, but they're not rangy), Eponine's is all standard mezzo belting (nothing hard there), and Enjolras is a standard high tenor with a full A4.
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CapeTwirl
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| curlyhairedsoprano91 wrote: |
I'm guessing Valjean's a 2-octave as well, 'cause he does have his high Bs scattered around. I'm not sure of his lowest note, though.
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I don't know what the notes would be, but I've heard some Valjeans get pretty low on the last word in "These are the shadows of the past."
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curlyhairedsoprano91
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That's a C3. So if that's his lowest note, he's just short of 2 octaves.
I just realized that Valjean's range is very, very similar to Fantine's ...
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Catherine
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| curlyhairedsoprano91 wrote: | | Eponine's is all standard mezzo belting (nothing hard there) |
Unless you can't belt...
It scks being a mezzo with no belt...
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music is my life!!!
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^ lol yh
Fantine's like that too - not a massive range (until the end) but not a good part for someone who can't belt!
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The Pirate King
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| curlyhairedsoprano91 wrote: | | Monsieur D'Arque wrote: | | One Day More is hard if you sing every character's part. |
Otherwise ... Marius is all pretty much high-baritone/low-tenor (nothing particularly high or low ... his parts aren't easy, vocally, but they're not rangy), and Enjolras is a standard high tenor with a full A4. |
Enjolras? High tenor? Do you realise that both Enjolras and Marius have identical ranges? It's A to A.
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curlyhairedsoprano91
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Where's Marius' high A?
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Orestes Fasting
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| The Pirate King wrote: | | curlyhairedsoprano91 wrote: | | Monsieur D'Arque wrote: | | One Day More is hard if you sing every character's part. |
Otherwise ... Marius is all pretty much high-baritone/low-tenor (nothing particularly high or low ... his parts aren't easy, vocally, but they're not rangy), and Enjolras is a standard high tenor with a full A4. |
Enjolras? High tenor? Do you realise that both Enjolras and Marius have identical ranges? It's A to A. |
Unless I'm horribly mistaken--and I'm too busy to go flip through the score right now--Marius' part has a lower tessitura. The extremities of the range on either end might be the same, but Enjolras gets the joy and wonder of hitting a dozen high G#'s at climactic moments in the show where the audience will start laughing if he cracks.
Valjean has a couple of scattered low A's ("how have you come to grief in such a place as this" and "this never-ending road to Calvary," possibly a couple others) but most of the time his part doesn't go below a C. Oh yeah, and if he takes the "My God, Cosette..." section down the octave, which very few Valjeans do, "the shout of angry voices in the street" is a G#2. That's the lowest I can think of.
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The Pirate King
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| curlyhairedsoprano91 wrote: | | Where's Marius' high A? |
Depending on the key...
Became their last communion.
Somebody's here!
Every Day:Not a dream after all (Ab)
And Orestes, I suppose you're right. Enjolras does have a bunch of high parts that he can't wimp out on. There are less G#s than you think, though.
He's usually classified as a high baritone, because that's the sound you need for the role.
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SmallTownIngenue
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Thank goodness Fantine doesn't have to sing the D3 in the school edition at the end. I'm playing her right now and I'm a soprano/mezzo belter, and it's hard enough hitting the low Gb in I Dreamed a Dream!
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starmelace
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That is very cool. I don't think I would have as much trouble with that note, but I am a lower mezzo, most assuredly.
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SmallTownIngenue
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Yeah, it's a pretty tough note for a soprano who has never sung alto in her life, but there's a first for everything! I was so surprised I wasn't cast as Cosette instead because that's more of my voice range but the guy playing Marius is 3 or 4 years older than me, so that's probably why, haha. I think I will have it very solid by the time performances roll around, my voice teacher has faith in me!
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starmelace
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I wish you luck!...and envy you beyond all belief 
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SmallTownIngenue
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Thanks! I really hope I get the character right...my director is amazing, and gives me so much advice and critique, we went over I Dreamed a Dream in rehearsal yesterday and we basically went through the song phrase by phrase analyzing the lyrics. The leads in the show are double cast (save for Marius, Enjolras, and the Thenardiers), so I'm trying really hard to distinguish myself from the other Fantine, who is incredible. I'm just excited for performances to start!
End thread jack~
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Catherine
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Oooh! Good luck! I'm very jealous! (I will learn to belt one day, dammit)
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starmelace
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Lol, belting isn't easy. But I am sure you'll manage.
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Jekkienumber24601
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Valjean in Broadway version Low B to high D. "Took the silver, took my flight!!!" being that high D that is a strong falsetto.
Valjean in School Edition is low A to High A which I hate cause now he's in this very uncomfortable range that is high for baritones and too low for tenors.
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SmallTownIngenue
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Yeah, that is a very uncomfortable range. Both of our Valjeans are high tenors and have had to change most of the lower parts because they are just so impossible for them to sing. Both of them can sing the "2460 1!" in full voice though, and it sounds amazing.
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Colle
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Just about all of Cosette's part would be difficult for me. I am a alto, and I would have a hard time hitting those high notes. That is why I would never consider trying out for the part of Cosette if I was a musical theater actress.
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Jekkienumber24601
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Oh and Marius' high A is in the Attack on the Rue Plummet "Someone is near, let's not be seen, somebo(dy's) here"
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Damn_Badgers
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I'm currently playing Valjean in a school edition at the moment, and know what you mean about it being an awkward range.
It's definitely too high for a baritone, but I'm not entirely sure that it's too low for a tenor. Like sure the Low A is a killer, but the rest of the notes are comfortably within a tenor range.
I'm just glad that the likes of the 'fliiiiiiiiight' part are only an F in the school edition. Not sure what it is on the recordings but its definitely much higher.
It's not at all easy, but I maintain that if your a decent tenor you can manage it.
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Jekkienumber24601
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fliiiiight is his high D and that's something I wish I could do. But transpositions are difficult and/or expensive
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elizabethjaneforrest
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| The Very Angry Woman wrote: | | the well scene |
Agreed. That one was tough.
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